
Garden with oval lawnsTraditional Garden, London
Jo Fenton
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Jo Fenton, of Fenton Roberts Garden Design, softened the lines by introducing two oval lawns, rather than one solid rectangle. What also makes this such an interesting space to look at now, though, is that it features many contrasts in the planting.For the front part of the garden, some of which can be seen here, Jo used a mix of plant forms and growing habits, and also leaf shapes and sizes. She points out the contrast between the upright and spiky forms of the irises, phormiums and euphorbias with the rounded or horizontal forms, including the rosemary spilling over the patio and the sedum flowers.Then, at the back of the garden, Jo changed the mood completely.“We’ve created a mini woodland at the rear,” she says. Ferns, hellebores, honesty, foxgloves and brunnera create the lower storey of the woodland floor, with a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs giving height and depth to the space. Reclaimed railway sleepers bridge the gap between the new lawn and the raised deck and shed at the back.Read more about this transformation.Tell us…What shape is your garden and which of these ideas would work well in the space? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments section.